


Bittersweet Revenge

by baeconandeggs, glitzyeol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Historical, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Minor Character Death, Royalty, and mentions of attempted murder, nothing graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/glitzyeol/pseuds/glitzyeol
Summary: Exiled and stripped of his title as crown prince, Chanyeol returns to the kingdom years later as a mere guard with plans to take revenge on the man who had caused it all.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 61
Kudos: 352
Collections: BAE2020





	Bittersweet Revenge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gummybear_pcy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gummybear_pcy/gifts).



> **Recipient:** gummybear_pcy  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Author's Note:** I'm going to try and keep this short by just saying that I hope my recipient enjoys my work and I want to thank my beta for helping me get through it all because I honestly didn't think I was going to. Comments and kudos are very much appreciated. Enjoy!

Chanyeol needed some time alone, to think and try to process the feelings that have been tormenting his mind of late. 

Everyone was busy and the king was yet to return from his trip away from the palace. So Chanyeol took his horse away from the stables and set off, up the hill, overlooking the village and the vast kingdom beyond. 

The sun had already begun to set when Chanyeol arrived at his desired location, tying the reins of his horse to a weeping tree. While the view was astonishingly splendid for a place that can be as foul as this, Chanyeol was just delighted to have time to enjoy some kind of freedom. Whenever things got tough, this hilltop always had been his saving grace.

It had definitely seen him at his worst. During his past, when he once was the designated crown prince and the responsibilities that came with it got the best of him or when he first came back to the country, when he no longer held any title other than that of a mere guard with a false name.

His tears had dripped into the grass and his anger had taken its toll on the crumbling ruins of what must have been a wall separating the fields. This hilltop held many of his secrets and he trusted that it would never reveal them. 

As Chanyeol stood at the top, he took in the beautiful sunset with a heavy breath and it was then that he prayed for the villagers of this kingdom.

It is easy to get lost in thoughts, Chanyeol vividly remembers when he first stood in this spot after so many years overseas with his most loyal friend and trusty guard. The things Sehun had done for him were above and beyond what he was asked to do. 

He can practically see Sehun from a couple months ago standing next to him in the sunlight.

“Are you ready?” He’d asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be Sehun.” 

“How hard can it be to infiltrate the country you were supposed to rule over one day anyway?”

It was supposed to be a jest, at least the underlying sarcasm is what could make it as such, but neither of them laughed. 

“Let’s hope it doesn’t end up with our heads on spikes for all the villagers to see.”

He was still so thankful to Sehun, the man hadn’t needed to have done any of the things he’d done to save him. From helping him escape prison, to sticking by his side despite how foolish he felt the whole revenge plot was.

Sehun had thrown away his own life in the process that could end with his head up on a spike next to Chanyeol’s. 

Chanyeol would never let that happen.

The plan was foolish, Chanyeol would admit, but he’d thought he was prepared for it at the time. Chanyeol was confident that whatever it took, king Baekhyun would go down but now, he wasn’t so sure anymore. 

His plan was beginning to blur and take on a new life of its own.

Chanyeol had first seen Baekhyun after so many years apart when he’d come to check on the guards’ training. If it hadn't been for Sehun that day, he doesn’t know how the day could have turned out.

Arms that had wrapped around him from behind made him snap out of a trance he didn’t even realize he was in. Chanyeol hadn’t even noticed he’d moved until then, or that the wooden training sword was held like he was preparing for his kill.

He had been.

“Do you think openly taking your revenge will get you anywhere?” Sehun had whispered in his ear as he held him in a way that seemed like nothing but a hug between friends.

If it wouldn’t have been for Sehun’s firm hold on him, it all could have been over that day. In that moment when Chanyeol saw Baekhyun again, all he could think about was the sudden rage that had been piling up within over the years that had passed.

“It will kill him,” was all that Chanyeol’s anger managed to form in response.

The man who’d ruined his life was standing there. It would have been so easy to just end it all then and there. The last eight years of his life would have seemed almost worth it if he could have gotten his revenge right there - and finally being able to come to peace with a closure he took for himself. 

The entire time leading up to seeing Baekhyun again had left Chanyeol feeling nerve-wrecked and practically sick to his stomach. What if he was recognised? If he did, would Baekhyun truly go through with wanting his death? Chanyeol hadn’t been worrying about those things, staying anonymous until he would take out his revenge but when the king made direct eye contact with him from across the court, these thoughts were suddenly terrorising his mind.

He’d heard Sehun’s sharp intake of breath in his ear and froze in his grip. That could have been the end of it all if he would have recognized them at that moment.

Seconds felt like an eternity but eventually, Baekhyun had looked away, seemingly uninterested. Sehun had pulled Chanyeol away, his panicked state cracking through his usually serious face,

“I was for sure certain he was going to recognise one of us.”

The same thought went through Chanyeol’s mind but apparently, he hadn’t. For a moment, Chanyeol wasn’t sure if he should be glad since it saved their lives or if he should feel hurt. Hurt that after all what once was there between them, he didn’t even mean enough to be recognised.

Feeling hurt felt ridiculous because Chanyeol knew that it was for the best, that it meant he could still wreak vengeance just as he had planned. Perhaps he, in fact, was ready for the plan but not to meet Baekhyun again. A small part within Chanyeol wished for Baekhyun to recognise him, to end him so that all this mess would never have been created.

Though now, Chanyeol was thankful that Sehun held him back from killing Baekhyun, not only had it saved their heads from those pesky spikes but it had also saved the king.

No.

Chanyeol shook his head to rid those stupid thoughts, he was not having those over that man, not again - it was absurd.

The sun had set while Chanyeol was so lost in his mind, and an even better view had taken over. The stars glimmered so beautifully from his spot on the hill. The view was pleasant from the palace but it wasn’t the same as from a vast open space like this. 

Before his mother died, she used to tell him that the first star to shine in the night sky is a lucky one and he should make a wish to win over his heart’s desires. 

He often couldn’t find the time to watch the sunset transition into night anymore now that he was a palace guard, maybe that was why his luck suffered so often.

Chanyeol sat down on the slowly crumbling wall, as he continued to stare at the winking stars, his mind couldn’t help but liken them to Baekhyun’s shiny eyes whenever he smiled so brightly. 

He often found himself trying to make him smile just so he could see the king happy.

He chuckled sadly to himself at the thought and dropped his head down into his hands. How could his thoughts change so drastically in such a short amount of time? Chanyeol had tried to poison Baekhyun just a few months ago and now, he’s thinking of the man’s smile - it makes no sense, he came back to see the king dead for God’s sake.

It was just a typical night when he’d found out what Baekhyun had done to his poor father. Chanyeol had just gotten back to the guard rooms after an uneventful shift in front of the king’s chambers. The guards in the room had been gossiping and Sehun was nowhere to be seen. 

Usually Sehun advised him against doing anything reckless but without Sehun’s clear mind around, Chanyeol followed his curiosity to get a better idea of the new Baekhyun he had to deal with. It had still been pretty early into becoming a guard and figuring out the ropes of his new position. 

“Tell me about the king,” Chanyeol had said as he sat down across from them, too occupied with wanting information to even think about changing. “Is he a good leader? What’s his deal?”

The others had all shared a look between them, probably at this outsider who knew nothing about their lands or so they thought, Yong-hwan had spoken up. “King Baekhyun is probably one of our best leaders yet, he’s very private and not afraid to put people in their place but he hasn’t done any unnecessary evils yet.”

Chanyeol had to bite his tongue, on its tip was the evils of Baekhyun’s past waiting to be spilled..

“I mean the standards weren’t too high after the old king but he took over well.” Jung-nam added. 

“What ever happened to the old king?”

They all had shared another look with each other again clearly at how much he hadn’t known but Chanyeol wished he hadn’t asked as soon as the response came.

“The king poisoned him and for the best really, he couldn’t handle his duties in the first place and then all that mess with the crown prince…”

Only Chanyeol had stopped listening, his mind overrun with newfound anger towards the king. 

He’d stormed out after that, all the words Sehun had said to him about how it was important to not be impatient entered his mind for a moment before he forced the thoughts away. His father had been killed.

His poor father, who had no idea he was trying to kill his own child over a false accusation.

It was the final straw, he was going to kill Baekhyun and get it over with. Plans changed all the time when new information came to light.

So Chanyeol plotted, poison was the best way. It was definitely a fitting end considering it was how he’d forced his father to die.

All just to become the king. Disgusting.

During his morning guard duty as the maids brought in Baekhyun’s food and left, Chanyeol slipped the poison he’d gotten his hands on discreetly into the soup before anyone saw. How he’d managed it without anyone seeing him was a wonder but he wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The end was so near. 

Chanyeol had practically bounced on his feet as the king sat down and scooped his spoon into the soup, but after a moment the king called over one of the servants. 

“Test the soup,” Baekhyun ordered curtly, and despite no knowing threads against his person, the tone of his voice was so flat but strongly demanding that it left no space for questions.

Chanyeol could have sworn he’d felt his heart stop beating in that moment. Had Baekhyun caught him and was now toying around with his consciousness until he confessed? 

The young girl hesitated for a moment but was fast enough to comply at the king’s impatient, but stoic stare. It really didn’t take long for the poison to take effect as she crumpled to the floor, convulsing.

Chanyeol squeezed his eyes shut at the sight, he should have said something, stopped her. She shouldn’t have taken Baekhyun’s place in death, but the king probably would have still forced her to test it anyway.

When he finally opened his eyes again, Baekhyun had been staring right at him. His breath had been caught in his throat, but he looked away almost instantly, calling for the body and food to be removed.

For the next few days, Chanyeol had lived looking over his shoulder, waiting for his end. After a beat down by Sehun for being an idiot and a warning from the king to guard him properly it all seemed to pass. 

That was the last time Chanyeol had tried to deviate from his original plan and honestly, his plans for revenge seemed less dire as the days passed.

  
  


Chanyeol rubbed his face with his chilled hands, he just couldn’t seem to knock sense into himself anymore these days. It was driving him crazy but the more time he spent there, the more Baekhyun’s personality threw him off.

There was no way that the king, or anyone, could keep up living under a facade at all times, he had to crack and show his true colours eventually - Chanyeol had the best chance of seeing it with guarding him closely.

As time went by, Baekhyun hadn’t cracked once. The only thing that might be seen as the king being kind of different was the incident of poisoning of an innocent girl - but that would only seem like that to Chanyeol because he is the only one that knows their background. No one else would see it as something weird, a royal having their food tested isn’t anything out of the ordinary after all. To Chanyeol though, it’s laced with guilt because her death was kind of his fault and it’s almost as if Baekhyun was tormenting him with this act without anyone knowing while he’d seemed pleasant and nice to all his subjects. Baekhyun didn’t seem to be two-faced at all, he didn’t seem capable of killing a king to get his way or telling lies to get a crown prince sentenced to death. 

Perhaps that was why Chanyeol was having all these mixed feelings lately - Baekhyun seemed exactly like he did in the past before any of this happened and maybe deep down Chanyeol missed that.

Who was he kidding, he missed it dearly. How he wished to just turn back time to when they could just recklessly and innocently be together, their only worries were getting caught. 

But they couldn’t be those people anymore. 

Baekhyun had to die.

Chanyeol slowly came out of the thoughts plaguing his mind when the sun blinded his vision, he hadn’t even realised how much time he’d wasted up on the hill. It hadn’t even gotten him any closer to figuring out the confusion he felt over the king.

The sunrise was pretty though, Chanyeol held a hand over his eyes as he took in the orange glow creeping over the village and greenery. If he was indoors it would look pretty warm out for March but the cool breeze was there to remind him spring was only just beginning.

It was still a nice way to start his day. 

He was supposed to be back at the palace by sunrise, the king had taken a short trip and was due back shortly. It was Chanyeol’s job to be there when he arrived but he considered just not going back.

There was always another guard eager to take this place and please the king. Chanyeol had survived leaving the exact same palace before perfectly fine and that was on the run. 

With his plan of revenge being shrouded by feelings he didn’t even understand himself, Chanyeol wasn’t sure if it was worth just jumping ship while he was ahead - getting out before the mess could come back to fire back at him. 

Back at the palace though, there still was Sehun.

There would be no time to go back and get him without running into the king or another guard who would berate him for not doing his job. There was also no saying Sehun would be interested in leaving with him again. Throwing his life away once for him was probably enough.

They’d built a new life and his ever loyal guard was content.

No, he would stay.

For Sehun.

Chanyeol didn’t have the luxury of taking his time anymore so he started to make his way back to the palace before it got any later. Angering a king was never a good idea but he could definitely savour the peace and quiet before it was taken away from him for the time being.

The palace was a bustling place and sometimes it got too much, Chanyeol didn’t have this much freedom when he was crown prince and for that he saw some benefits of being exiled and seeing how the other half lived.

As he brought his horse into the stables, Chanyeol saw Jongin and Sehun talking together while Jongin shovelled the hay. They both looked over and smiled as a greeting when they saw him.

He was about to try and join in on the conversation for a moment before he had to leave when he caught sight of Baekhyun’s horse.

Stress rose.

“Where is he?”

“He’s in the baths,” Jongin supplied as he came forward to take Chanyeol’s horse off his hands. Sehun was giving him an exasperated look, “He asked for you.”

“Hell,” he muttered under his breath.

“Go,” Chanyeol didn’t need to be told twice and he rushed out of the stables, heading for the baths. He doubted Baekhyun would let his two-faced self show over him being late for his duty but risking his wrath or worse, him finding out, was best to be avoided. 

Upon seeing the king’s profile, relaxed in the steaming water, Chanyeol stopped short. His stomach did a weird flip and Chanyeol blamed it on not seeing him for the two weeks he was gone - on the fact that he could breathe calmer when Baekhyun wasn’t there, and now he had to go back to tiptoeing around. 

Chanyeol immediately switched to a respectful stance as his presence was acknowledged, “Your highness,” Chanyeol greeted him in a bow.

“I was beginning to think you’d ran away.”

Chanyeol was proud of the fact that he didn’t falter at those words, it took a lot of effort to not take the words as an accusation instead of the presumed jest the king was trying to make. “I apologize, I lost track of time,” Chanyeol’s voice came out more strained than he would have liked it to but he just hoped it was taken as a fear of being reprimanded for being late rather than having been caught in a lie.

The splash of water was the only noise that filled the room for a moment and Chanyeol prepared to just turn around, get back to his job and lay low for a couple days so as to not slip up further when the king spoke up again.

“You should join me.”

Chanyeol’s head shot up at the invitation and they made direct eye contact as he tried to make out what was going on with the whole situation. If the water wasn’t so loud he was sure his erratic heartbeat would be heard loud and clear in the large room. 

Though then, Baekhyun laughed and the sound threw Chanyeol into a past that he should have long forgotten. The times when everything was so simple aside from his princely duties and hiding his ever growing love for Baekhyun. Back to when they would lie in bed together, laughing and dreaming up a beautiful future - this was far from anything he imagined.

“At least wash my hair.”

It felt like he was being led straight into a trap but he also knew better than to refuse. 

As he approached, he took in Baekhyun’s muscular back. How easy it would be to just end things, he never thought he would be able to get this close again without a struggle or fight to begin with. But here Chanyeol was, about to touch him. 

His glistening skin looked so soft and unmarked. 

Those thoughts alone shook him to his core and he felt the heat rise to cheeks. 

“I’ll go and get a maid to help you,” Chanyeol didn’t give Baekhyun a chance to speak before he was rushing out of the room, mentally cursing at himself.

Why were his thoughts turning against him all of a sudden? He wanted Baekhyun dead. 

Dead.

Chanyeol figured he could just ignore the strange morning he was having. Baekhyun must just be happy to be home from his trip and he hadn’t had a chance to sleep being up on that hill all night, so lack of sleep probably didn’t help.

The day would probably quickly go back to normal soon.

Only that it didn’t.

Baekhyun kept calling him over on his opinion on random things, as if his opinion mattered. Truthfully, in his past life as the crown prince, Chanyeol had enjoyed that he was being included, but now, he was just a mere guard without any relevance. There was no reason to involve him on matters he shouldn’t even be assumed to understand. 

Not to mention how close Baekhyun kept standing - It was messing with his mind, his mind had even ventured into how good he smelled. It was driving him crazy.

“Could you get me something to drink?”

It took Chanyeol a second to realise he was being spoken too and he jumped into action before he could even stop to think that wasn’t his job. “You’re highness,” he bowed, holding out the cup.

When Baekhyun’s hand grazed his fingers and stayed there, Chanyeol’s eyes snapped up to his. The look on his face shocked him enough that he didn’t even realise he’d dropped the cup until wetness hit his skin. 

“I apologise!” Chanyeol blurted, jumping into action to clean up the mess he’d made. Chanyeol didn’t even realise how on edge he was over the possibility of angering the man until a thrilled laugh caused him to flinch.

“Are you always this clumsy?”

Just that, something that simple, made it seem like Baekhyun hadn’t recognised him, causing some tension to leak from Chanyeol’s shoulders.

“My hand slipped,” Chanyeol supplied as a maid came to take over his lousy job at cleaning up. They both knew his hand hadn’t slipped but he doubted it mattered that much. After a moment of silence, Baekhyun finally spoke up again, “Just don’t let it happen again.”

“Of course, your highness.”

It only got stranger after that. The king seemed to grow frustrated as the day wore on. Being in his close vicinity, Chanyeol bore the most of it and it didn’t help his own rising frustration.

Chanyeol didn’t understand the change in moods. Was it the mistake he’d made earlier or was Baekhyun finally showing his true colours? Was that really all it took?

Apart from the tension in the air, nothing seemed to happen and he began to wonder if the paranoia of being recognised was starting to consume him. You could never be too careful in a situation like this but it had been months since his return and no one was any wiser about his true identity.

When they arrived at the king’s bed chambers, Chanyeol moved to follow him in like he usually did. It was best to guard the king from inside in case anyone was to get in but the tension still lingered and it gave him pause.

Maybe it was best to stay outside for the night, just guard the door. He didn’t want to risk getting caught and it would hopefully help get rid of whatever the tension was. So he grabbed the door as Baekhyun turned to him in question for not following. 

“Rest well, your highness” Chanyeol tried to keep his voice as respectful as possible and he avoided eye contact before he shut the door. The thin walls that separated them should hopefully do the trick.

Chanyeol planted himself against the wall next to the door, so he could prevent any trespassing and quickly enter if necessary. He tried to get as comfortable as possible in his position and let his mind wander, slightly to why Baekhyun was acting so off today.

It didn’t take long before he heard a small commotion inside the chambers, he pushed himself off the wall in high alert but it quickly became clear with the loud sighs and slams that the king was just letting off some steam, some kind of frustrations - whatever they were - were getting the best of him. Chanyeol still stood to attention in case it was anything more serious. 

The door slammed open before he could think much more on the matter and there Baekhyun stood, silken robe doing nothing but adding more fuel to Chanyeol’s confusion. 

Neither of them said anything, just stared at each other as the tension rose by heartbeat. The smaller was breathing like he was about to snap any moment now and he was prepared for the worst. 

“Stop!” He couldn’t help the flinch at the sudden sound and stared, wide eyed at Baekhyun. “...Stop pretending like you don’t feel something for me. All this awkward tension is driving me crazy!”

Baekhyun’s eyes were wild as he glared up at Chanyeol, like he was daring him to deny his allegations. Chanyeol averted his eyes and kept his gaze on the wall across the hall, “I have no idea what you are talking about, your highness.”

Suddenly Baekhyun was in his personal space and he almost hit his head on the wall behind him as he stepped backwards on instinct. This definitely wasn’t how he thought this was going to go. Of all the wrongs he’d done, he never thought these confusion feelings would be his cause of death.

A hand gripped his cheeks in a tight hold and suddenly he was looking into Baekhyun’s eyes again. They were so close and he wanted nothing more than to get away, his brain was running wild with thoughts, but he couldn’t risk angering the king further. 

“Look me in the eyes and say that again.”

The humiliating command made Chanyeol pause, he stared into his eyes, trying to pull together the courage to lie to the king’s face. The longer he looked however, the more he realised, the darkness in Baekhyun’s eyes wasn’t anger, it was something more hungry. 

It’s as if all his reasonings were thrown away by stupidity because eventually, Chanyeol couldn’t keep it together anymore because he then slammed their lips together.

Baekhyun kissed back almost immediately, their bodies pressed incredibly close together in the middle of the hallway. Anyone could walk past and see them there but the thought never crossed Chanyeol’s mind, clouded by the feeling of Baekhyun’s tongue nudging against his lips.

The kiss felt almost nostalgic like a nice part of his past life that he was glad he didn’t have to put behind him anymore. He wondered if the kiss felt familiar for Baekhyun, if he was wondering why it did.

They only broke the kiss briefly as they moved out of the hallway and into the chambers, then they went straight back to making out. Chanyeol didn’t have a hard time getting Baekhyun out of his clothes, tugging on the single knot of his silk dressing gown and slipping it off his shoulders. The other struggled with his clothes though, trying to get all of his guard uniform off. 

He was quick to help, not wanting to waste anymore time. 

Chanyeol kicked his pants off after they tumbled onto the bed, his leg shifted up now free of its confines and pressed roughly in between Baekhyun’s thighs. He smirked down at the smaller when he broke off the kiss to moan. 

“Where’s the oil?” 

Their positions were being flipped before he even had time to process what was happening. The king pressed a hand against his chest and just stared down at him in silence. 

It gave Chanyeol a pause, enough time to let fear creep back into his mind. He’d let his guard down which was pretty ironic considering. Baekhyun must have recognised him, the kiss or being this close again after so long must have jogged his memory. 

This was never part of his plan, sleeping with the enemy never ended well. How could he become so foolish, not only did he receive the training of a crown prince but he was also trained as a guard, taking down the enemy was straight forward in both. 

Before his thoughts could spiral any further, Baekhyun playfully smiled down at him, eerily soft, “Do you think the king would let a mere guard do such a thing to him?”

Perhaps Baekhyun thought Chanyeol’s state of panic came from worrying that he had been tested, if he would resist something he most definitely has to resist - and just failed such a test.

Somehow, Baekhyun’s words made it feel special, as if he’s not just a toy that the king uses to let out his frustration but that there is real interest behind it. Chanyeol had been going against his plans before, and perhaps one last time won’t do much more harm, so he grabbed the back of Baekhyun’s neck and pulled him down for another kiss. 

Chanyeol’s been driven by lust and jarning, to just feel Baekhyun once again, even after all the time apart, after all the things the other did. After this, things won’t be able to stay the same, Chanyeol either has to soon take out on his plan, or he has to leave - If the end is coming, he’ll take this one last time with him.

The way they explore each other’s bodies, feeling each other, it’s as if Chanyeol’s traveling back in time. It’s as if the years that had passed never happened, as if he’s back to when they were secret lovers and their biggest worry was to stay uncovered.

Throughout the act, all the feelings Chanyeol had suppressed rose up, coming to surface and pouring out on Baekhyun.The spend time, the kisses, the touches and all the feeling that were unspoken but obvious, Chanyeol felt content as Baekhyun collapsed on top of him, his arms automatically reaching out to keep him close.

Only then, Chanyeol came back to himself. He quickly realised how grave this mistake was. He was supposed to get close enough to Baekhyun that pulling off the detailed plan would be easy but had instead been just messing it up over and over again, making it harder to pull off. Sleeping with the plan was not a step.

Sehun would kill him.

Worse of all, he’d let Baekhyun in, showing himself to the other in his most vulnerable state. Somehow this man got under his skin and Chanyeol ended up wasting all his firsts with him. The need to hate it competed with how pleasurable it had been. There was a reason that man was the cause of all his distress. He was very good at both blowing a person’s mind and completely ruining their lives. 

He should leave before the night ended in another round, it would only add to the problem. His self control was clearly in shreds. Chanyeol sat up suddenly, ignoring the growing ache in his lower back and the eyes on his back as he grabbed his pants off the floor. 

“I apologise, your Highness, this was inappropriate,” Chanyeol forced out, his chest felt somewhat heavy at that statement but he didn’t want the king thinking this could happen again - he needed to make sure things ended before he left the room. 

Fingers curled around his arm and he felt Baekhyun shifting to sit behind him on the bed. Chanyeol steeled himself to argue against whatever came out of the king’s mouth.

“Was it really that inappropriate?” A kiss was pressed against his shoulder, “My Prince.”

Chanyeol froze at the nickname. The sudden fear felt like acid running through his veins and he wondered for a second if it would kill him right there and then.

Baekhyun knew.

Then panic took over as he realised how vulnerable he’d let himself become. No wonder his guard was down with how nice the king was acting, it was all fake. He was probably just plotting to kill him and Sehun. Let him think he had a chance to go through with this stupid plan for revenge and then finally finish what he’d planned all those years ago.

And now Baekhyun sat behind him, closer than he should have been allowed and the irony of how he could just be stabbed in the back right now wasn’t lost on Chanyeol. It wouldn’t be the first time, only this time it was physical.

His fight instincts kicked in almost on autopilot as he grabbed the dagger residing helpfully in his pants. He spun around, aiming straight for his neck. He would deal with the consequences later.

Chanyeol was instantly met with the pointed end of a hairpin being pressed against his throat - Baekhyun’s hair cascaded down past his shoulders and Chanyeol managed to catch some under his dagger as he had it equally pressed against Baekhyun’s throat. At least he was resourceful, but when you played dirty tricks it must be second nature. 

Baekhyun was staring at him like he couldn’t believe how fast their passionate night had changed, like he hadn’t just revealed he knew who he really was.

Did he know the entire time? Or had it only just hit him? 

The silence in the room is tense, both of them waiting for the other to give in but it’s Baekhyun who broke first - tears already having gathered in his still wide eyes. 

“I didn’t want it to turn out like this!” The grip on his arm tightened and tears started rolling down his flushed cheeks. Chanyeol had to praise him for the acting. Only this little act was long over.

“What are you talking about?”

The hand that held the pin against his throat trembled and he honestly feared for a second that he would go through with it, he’d already killed off his father to become king, this was nothing. 

“I never wanted this!” Baekhyun sobbed, “At least not like this.”

“What is this?!” Chanyeol let the anger get the best of him at the vagueness, the dagger nicked his skin and blood trickled down his still naked chest. Apart from the trembling hand, Baekhyun didn’t make a move to return the favour, still lost in the sadness of whatever was going on.

“It was your father, not me! He was the one that wanted you dead!” 

“Liar!”

“I’m glad you never had to see how awful he could truly be Chanyeol but he wanted to kill you.” He refused to believe that his father would want that, what reason could he possibly have? He was the crowned prince, his heir to the throne. Killing him wouldn’t have benefited the king in any way. He was about to argue but stayed silent at the look Baekhyun gave him. 

“I was his royal advisor and he never wanted to crown you, you were soft and too much of a free spirit. Always wanting to hang around with the villagers and try new things. He wanted you to just be like him, so through crowning you and extensive training, it should be enough,” Baekhyun explained, his voice gained more stability as he seemed to be finally getting his story off his chest. “But it wasn’t, you didn’t become what he wanted you to be.”

Chanyeol wanted to disagree, defend his father till his dying breath under a hairpin of all things but deep down he knew his father was never fond of him. More often than not, he’d been pulled aside and warned of his too nice attitude to the people. How he wouldn’t be able to keep it up when he became king and it was better to stop it now. Chanyeol never understood it, why couldn’t they be nicer to everyone? It cost nothing. 

“He got one of his handmaidens pregnant, and was planning to get more heirs to the throne. He didn’t need you anymore.” Baekhyun’s hand shifted down his arm to grip his hand when he finally let the words get to him, he tried to blink the oncoming tears from his eyes. 

“He sent someone to spy on you, figure out where you were at all times so his plan could work.” Baekhyun continued, clearly intent on just laying everything out on the table once and for all. “The spy found out about us, and he used it to threaten me into helping him.”

“Stop...” Chanyeol begged, he didn’t know how much more he could hear. He was starting to believe him the more cruel words about his father slipped past his lips and he didn’t know if he could handle knowing his father was the one who wanted him dead.

“He was threatening me with my mother. I couldn’t let her die, not when I had a chance to save her,” Baekhyun croaked.

“So you were fine with him killing me? Fine with helping him? My last thoughts of you would have been of you betraying me.”

Chanyeol knew he was being selfish, if all of this was true, he probably would have done the same to save his mother. But he was just finding out his life had basically been a lie. That his father wanted him dead and his lover had tried to help him.

“I begged for your life Chanyeol! I begged and begged but he wouldn’t listen to me. He was done with you. But did you honestly think the two of you would have escaped the kingdom unscathed if I hadn’t helped get the guards off your backs?” 

He gaped at Baekhyun in shock at the sudden reveal. He’d never wanted to kill him?

“Why didn’t you just kill my father back then instead of helping me escape?”

“... Because then I would never have become king.”

The betrayal Chanyeol felt just kept building and the damn holding back his tears seemed to break in that moment, this was too much.

“So becoming king was all you cared about? Did I even mean anything to you?”

The hairpin suddenly fell away from his neck and then Baekhyun cupped his cheeks in his hands. He had to move the dagger away quickly before it cut into his skin any deeper than it already had. He needed answers first. “You were it for me Chanyeol, don’t you get it? I did all of this for you.”

“You didn’t want to be king just as much as your father didn’t want you to be. Remember when you told me about how scared you were?” Chanyeol nodded slightly, still held in his grip. “When he came and threatened me, it just made sense. I took it way too far I'll admit. But for your sake and my mother’s health, I wanted to make everything better.”

As much as Chanyeol wanted to call him a liar again, say he wanted proof or that nothing he could show him would make him believe his father wanted his child dead over being scared to become king, he knew Baekhyun. He wasn’t a liar, never had been and God, he’d cried over it and if his mother had been involved then he understood.

Chanyeol would have done anything for his mother too. 

It was a lot to take in and he didn’t really know how to handle it. Didn’t really know how to react to all this information. He’d spent the last eight years of his life planning revenge and one stupid night of sex and suddenly his whole life was unraveling beneath him.

“And the woman he got pregnant?” Chanyeol finally asked, remembering what Baekhyun had said. 

“She lost the baby.” 

He was going to ask if that was Baekhyun’s doing but decided he didn’t want to know. He’d had enough for the night and he probably wouldn’t enjoy the answer.

Chanyeol dropped the dagger down into his lap and pulled away from the trembling hands. “I need some time to process all this,” Chanyeol mumbled, suddenly exhausted and ready to just get in bed and try to sleep. Though how he would manage that with everything going on in his head would probably be impossible. 

“Stay here, please! I’m sorry about everything that happened but please let’s talk about this okay?!” Baekhyun got more frantic as he went on, his arms automatically grabbing hold of him again, trying to pull him close. 

“I just found out my father wanted me dead, please… just give me some time.” 

When the smaller finally relented his hold, Chanyeol was quick to gather his clothes together and try to make himself as presentable as possible. He ignored the way Baekhyun looked so defeated and small sitting in the middle of the bed. The guilt spiked further in his gut at the small trail of blood he’d caused, but he desperately needed some space.

It was the best for both of them. 

Chanyeol paused at the doorway and bowed shallowly. “I’ll get someone to take my place, your highness.” 

Then he left. 

After asking another guard to take his shift, Chanyeol made his way back to his chambers, Sehun was already sitting in his bed. He’d forgotten the other was off duty that night.

“Hey why aren’t you guarding Baekhyun? Did something happen?” He questioned, sitting up in bed as Chanyeol made his way to his own. He changed out of his clothes and got into bed without even glancing in Sehun’s direction.

“Is something wrong?”

A pang of guilt hit him as he just turned away from his friend but Chanyeol didn’t think he could manage talking without either bursting into tears or going on an angry rampage. And he had no idea if Sehun knew anything about the whole situation. Logically, he knew he was being an idiot but he’d been through enough shit tonight and he didn’t need anymore surprising layers added.

“Chanyeol?” Sehun’s voice sounded more and more worried as the silence dragged on. Chanyeol could hear him moving closer but he just squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. He needed to just go to sleep and shut off his brain for a couple of hours before this weird altered reality started up again. 

“Okay we can talk in the morning,” Sehun sighed, finally giving in.

The next morning Chanyeol wanted to just stay in bed and not face the world, especially one that was ruled by Baekhyun. He hadn’t managed to get much sleep but he accepted that the day must go on.

Chanyeol didn’t have the luxury of doing what he wanted anymore, not when he had to serve.

Not that his father would have stood for him being lazy and sad either. 

When he finally managed to force himself to move and sit up in bed, he was instantly met with Sehun sitting across from him. Chanyeol barely suppressed a groan. 

“The last time I saw you like this, it was when we first rested from being on the run,” the crease between Sehun’s eyebrows was worse than it had ever been and the guilt now felt like a small stone sitting at the pit of his stomach.

“What happened with Baekhyun last night?”

Chanyeol considered being honest, and considered questioning his best friend to see if he knew anything about his father’s intentions. How did he know Baekhyun was telling the truth and wasn’t just using it as his advantage. The want to cry almost caught up to him as tears gathered in his eyes but he quickly blinked them away.

Sehun had already seen them though and he quickly moved to crouch in front of Chanyeol, panic taking over his features.

“Does he know?” His voice was soft and full of fear. Chanyeol couldn’t bring himself to tell him. He needed time to sit on this and think it over, there was no reason to scare Sehun so he shook his head slightly.

“We slept with each other...” Was his eventual reply, it wasn’t a lie.

“Excuse me, you what?”

Chanyeol rubbed his hands roughly over his face. Was God just punishing him? He thought the whole exile had been some sort of test but this was just pure torture. 

“It just happened so fast and I don’t know, it brought back some unpleasant memories and I had to get out of there.”

“And you’re sure he didn’t recognise you?” When Chanyeol shook his head more firmly this time, a laugh bubbled from his best friend’s chest. “Jesus, if he didn't even recognise you then, we might actually have a chance to go through with this.”

Chanyeol managed a weak smile at that, “Yeah.” 

Though he knew his plan was very much over at this point.

Chanyeol managed to pull some strings and swap his duty with another guard for the day. He knew he couldn’t avoid Baekhyun forever and he wouldn’t be allowed to. His main job was looking after the king but right now he just needed some time away from him. 

It was a lot to take in and if he could put as much distance between them then it might help him get his head around it sooner. 

One thing he couldn’t wrap his head around was how he hadn’t noticed, he’d spent the last eight years living on edge and trying to survive a whole new world and yet he had no idea Baekhyun was playing him the entire time. 

How fast he’d been promoted to look after the king, even though he was supposed to be a stranger. Of course he’d worked hard to prove his worth to be a guard but he’d lived that life from the other side before. They mainly wanted people they could trust.

Someone who couldn’t for example slit the king’s throat while he slept. 

That alone should have sent alarm bells off in his mind but he must have been so happy to have not been caught so far.

And the time Baekhyun had looked at him when he’d found out the food had been poisoned. For the first few days Chanyeol had definitely thought it was all over but then nothing came of it and he assumed the look had just been because of not catching it sooner, especially once the king had warned him personally.

Baekhyun had known Chanyeol was trying to poison him and hadn’t said anything.

The entire thing was just becoming more and more confusing as he thought about it.

Why had Baekhyun pretended to not recognise Chanyeol? Maybe he wanted to see how far he would take it before the truth finally came out, or maybe this was a tactic.

Maybe he wanted to wait until the perfect opportunity to take Chanyeol down once and for all. Fill his head full of confusion and take his guard down. Well he would make sure that wouldn’t happen.

He would avoid any encounters with the king in which they were alone. 

It couldn’t be that difficult.

It was a lot more difficult than he’d anticipated, as his job was to just guard Baekhyun, Chanyeol didn’t realise how often they’d actually come in contact with the other guards. They were everywhere but they all sort of blurred together at some point.

When he first saw Baekhyun round the corner, his first instinct was to flee, find a hiding spot and wait until they’d passed but the guard he’d switched with had already caught sight of him and he couldn’t abandon the post now so he stood his ground.

Chanyeol kept his eyes respectfully off the king but apparently Baekhyun had other ideas as he ducked into his line of vision. 

“Why didn’t you show up this morning?” He questioned, Chanyeol could see in his eyes that he knew very well why but as the king he had to keep up certain appearances. 

And well he had no answer to that question.

I’m avoiding you didn’t seem like an appropriate answer so he ran with the first idea that came to him. He pretended to gag and covered his mouth quickly, “I think I'm going to be sick.”

The other guard ate it up as he took a subtle step back, disgust flashing across his features but he could tell Baekhyun didn’t believe him for a second. Chanyeol didn’t wait around to see what his response would be and instead ran off in the opposite direction. 

Once he was safely tucked away in a small cove, hidden in the shadows, he let out a breath of relief. That was a close call, maybe he could just fake being sick for the rest of the day. That or just try and avoid Baekhyun as much as he could.

The second time he’d run into the king, Baekhyun had barely managed to open his mouth to speak before Chanyeol spranted off. He hadn’t been fast enough to miss the saddened look.

That only set off a whole new set of questions in his head, mainly wondering if Baekhyun was actually telling the truth. His father didn’t like people, that much was obvious but did that really extend to him?

Chanyeol definitely wasn’t what his father wanted for a son, for a future king. Chanyeol hadn’t wanted to be the future ruler either but he would have stepped up and done what was expected of him when the time called for it. His father never gave him the chance to prove his worth. 

Would have rather exterminated him like some sort of animal and had a whole new litter of possible heirs. Would he have killed them too and started again if they weren’t what he wanted?

That was even if any of it was true. 

The third time was the last straw for Chanyeol.

Baekhyun had cornered him, the guard supposed to be watching him nowhere to be seen.

“Talk to me, Chanyeol!”

“Are you begging or ordering?” Chanyeol pushed down the anger enough to ask, he tried to keep as much steel in his voice as possible, and wanted Baekhyun to know how serious he was. 

“Whichever gets a response,” Baekhyun had the nerve to reply.

Chanyeol was done with the conversation. It wasn’t going to get them anywhere and he very much wanted to go back to the peaceful bliss of not having Baekhyun stood in front of him

He pushed off the wall, he’d been crowded against and tried to walk off but Baekhyun gripped his upper arm, much like he had done the night before. “Listen, I know you don’t want to believe me, I understand but I would never lie to you.”

“So, you pretending to want to kill me, and then acting like you didn’t know who I was for months wasn’t lying?”

“I know things have changed Chanyeol but you know me and I would never lie about my mother.” Chanyeol did know him and his mother’s wellbeing had always been his first priority. They’d bonded over the struggles of having sick mothers, only he himself had lost his when he was younger. “Believe me or don’t, but stop acting like the people we were before have disappeared completely because they haven’t.”

A tense silence took over them as they both waited to see how Chanyeol would react.

He had no idea either. 

“Prove it.” Was his final response.

“What?”

“Prove to me that it was my father who wanted to kill me.”

A desperate look flashed between Baekhyun’s eyes. They both knew he couldn’t prove it and Baekhyun hung his head slightly in defeat. 

A kingdom ran on all it’s dirty work being kept under lock and key, preferably not written down so it couldn’t have any repercussions like what was happening right now. 

“I’ll believe you when you have proof, until then don’t bother me,” Chanyeol’s tone left no room for further argument and he yanked his arm out of Baekhyun’s grip with more force than he probably needed to.

He didn’t even spare the king another glance as he walked away. It took a lot of effort to walk at a respectable pace and not run away like he wanted to. 

Once night time fell over the kingdom, Chanyeol laid in bed staring blindly into the dark room. Sehun was snoring soundly next to him. It was another night of getting off his duty of watching over Baekhyun. He knew eventually he would have to go back. There was only so much time he could avoid the other before people started to get suspicious.

He couldn’t have that. 

The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if staying was really the best option anymore. In all truth it was never the best option as Sehun had warned him multiple times in the past but he was only just beginning to see the full truth in that. 

Waiting around for Baekhyun to find proof wasn’t exactly an option, especially when he didn’t even want to be in the same room as the other. First of all he wouldn’t find any and second Chanyeol did not mean what he said.

He did not want proof that his father wanted to kill him, that would only make it real. Prove to him that he in fact was what he’d always feared.

A huge disappointment.

This whole thing had been a stupid mistake and he should have actually listened to Sehun during one of his many warnings instead of being too focused on his blind rage. As with most things Chanyeol jumped straight into his new plan of action. 

Ignoring all cons on the matter. 

He got out of his bed and walked quietly over to his friend’s side of the room. He placed a gentle hand on his back and shook softly. He didn’t want to startle a higher ranking guard out of sleep. It never ended well. 

“Chanyeol? What is it?” Sehun drowsily replies.

“I can’t explain it to you right now but please, I need to leave, so please leave with me,” Chanyeol’s voice came out as rushed as the thoughts running through his head trying to convince him it wasn’t a good idea. It was like he needed to hurry up before the thoughts won out.

A look Chanyeol didn’t understand settled on Sehun’s face but he eventually nodded, sitting up slowly in the cot, “Now?”

“As soon as possible,” Chanyeol answered, already moving to stuff everything into a bag. He’d collected a lot more stuff since he’d been here and for a second it made Chanyeol pause. He’d really built his life in this palace twice now and both times he was going to end up leaving in a hurry during the night.

Was it really what he wanted?

He pushed the thoughts into the back of his mind and mentally locked it away with a key. Less thinking and more packing. Sehun had followed suit behind him, though his packing seemed more forced than anything. Chanyeol tried not to think about that either. 

Once they were outside, it wouldn’t take too long to get to the stables and then he could get away from his cursed palace. Maybe it was a sign that he just didn’t belong here. 

Maybe his past self was exiled too and his body still felt the effects of it.

Sehun seemed to hesitate though and while Chanyeol wanted to be rid of this place as fast as possible, he could tell something was stopping his most loyal friend. He could have just forgotten something. Before he could press forward and say they should hurry, Sehun halted at the bottom of the steps.

“I need to do just one thing before we leave,” Sehun requested.

Chanyeol almost pushed his needs aside and ordered they just leave right now but the pleading look in Sehun’s eyes wasn’t something he saw often, if at all. This must be important. 

“Okay but let’s be quick.” 

The longer he spent within the palace the more time it and it’s owner had to suck him back in.

He didn’t understand that the thing was actually a person until they stopped outside of Jongin’s chambers. The stable boy stumbled out into the hallway still half asleep as he looked at both of them. His entire body seemed to wake up when he saw the bags they carried though.

“Where are you going?” Chanyeol whispered, his question directed only to Sehun who glanced back at Chanyeol before he dragged the confused boy further down the hallway to speak quietly.

Chanyeol didn’t make it a regular occurance to eavesdrop but he couldn’t help but see the two of them pressed close together as they shared whatever secret was so important. Sehun’s right hand had come to rest on Jongin’s neck and that’s when realisation overcame Chanyeol, wondering how he could be so slow?

It was obvious the two were sharing a heartfelt goodbye and yet he had never even noticed that there was any reason for that to be happening. Chanyeol had been so lost in his own problems to realise Sehun had gone and built himself a new life with Jongin.

And he was trying to rip them apart, he was using his best friend’s loyalty to his own advantage so much that he’d considered not even giving him a goodbye and Sehun would have probably agreed and still not hated him.

As thankful as he was in that moment for his best friend, the guilt teared through him as he realised how selfish he’d become in his thirst for revenge. Even before that. 

Sehun should have the chance at happiness, not just blindly following Chanyeol onto whatever dangerous path he leads them onto next.

Especially when he knows they will all eventually lead straight back to Baekhyun.

“Okay are you ready? We can go now.” Sehun faced him again, his expression was tense but it was clear he would be prepared to just leave right now at his request, one he hadn’t even given any details about - And Jongin stood behind Sehun, further down the hall with tears streaming down his face. There was a look on his face that made Chanyeol think that both of them knew he would do this and were prepared for the day it happened.

“No.”

What was the point in running away like a coward? He should face Baekhyun again, accept the truth of his father and let Sehun live happily with Jongin. 

If he still wanted to leave after that, then he would go alone.

“No, I changed my mind,” is all that left Chanyeol’s lips drily before he ran down the hall in pursuit of Baekhyun’s chambers. Chanyeol ignored his best friend calling after him in confusion. He would find him later and apologise for everything and in the future just try to be a better friend, but right now he needed to do something.

He burst into the king’s chambers after bypassing the guard that probably would have taken his position if he’d left and there Baekhyun was. He’d jumped off the bed in shock and was just standing watching him.

As Chanyeol bent over to catch his breath, the smaller seemed to recover from the intrusion. “Going somewhere?” He questioned, eyeing the bags. 

Dropping the bags in question next to him, Chanyeol stood up straight. “I couldn’t leave,” He confessed, his eye’s not straying from the men standing before him. His feelings were still a mess in his head but they were beginning to become more and more clear, “At least not without seeing you first.”

“So, you were about to leave in secret but decided to see me to tell me that you’re going to leave?”

“Is there any reason for me to stay?” The question came out more begging than he’d hoped for, like he was waiting for Baekhyun to just give him a reason to not run away from his problems and instead face them head on. 

Baekhyun sat down then on the edge of his bed and patted the space next to him which Chanyeol was quick to occupy. 

“I don’t have any way of proving it to you.”

“As messed up as it sounds, my father trying to kill me wouldn’t be as much of a surprise as I originally made it out to be. His love for me was never strong. You knew this,” Chanyeol admitted, fiddling with his fingers so he didn’t have to look at the other. 

It would be a lot easier to admit everything he wanted to this way.

“I wouldn’t believe you if the roles were reversed.” He figured the statement was supposed to soothe him somehow but it only helped him realise how fucked up it all was. His father had wanted him dead because he couldn’t fill his expectations.

Wasn't that absurd. 

And the worst part was that it wasn’t, fathers killed their children all the time over the same thing or even less, “It’s a messed up world.”

He looked down in shock when Baekhyun’s hand suddenly covered his, his fingers stilled under the touch. “If you need more time before you can fully trust or believe me I understand.” he mumbled, his voice soft as he shifted to look Chanyeol in the eyes. 

“Or if you want to run away and never forgive me that’s fine too but I hope you will stay.”

Chanyeol couldn’t believe that was all it took to make his heart flutter anymore. All of his walls were crumbling. He had to look away otherwise he didn’t think he could go through with what he planned to say.

Here goes nothing. 

“I think it’s obvious by now that I felt something for you before you revealed you knew.” He mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut. This was so difficult. 

“It was messing with my mind, I should have hated you and I did but I also found myself wanting to be with you like before, I knew that would be impossible, you had to die but it was always at the back of my mind...”

“And now you know everything?” Baekhyun prompted quietly when he suddenly trailed off. He didn’t know how to say it, didn’t know if he should push this or just leave history alone. 

He turned to face Baekhyun trying to gauge his reaction, and figure out how he should continue this conversation. But the look on his face only left Chanyeol more speechless. This beautiful man still looked at him like he did before, wanted this as much as he knew he did.

He completely forgot about the question in that moment as he leaned forward to capture his lips with his. It wasn’t like the kiss they’d shared before, that was rushed full of lust and some hate. 

This, however, was pure love. 

Something Chanyeol had missed dearly below all the rage and never thought was possible again. 

Baekhyun was the first to pull away, though he didn’t stray far as he pressed their foreheads together, “So, is this a goodbye kiss?”

His eyes caught onto the cut he’d left on Baekhyun’s otherwise unmarked skin and he thumbed at it softly in a silent apology, though a part of him still figured he deserved it at least a little.

“I want to stay here and continue to be your guard,” Chanyeol smiled cheekily as he then mumbled a soft your highness.

Baekhyun pulled back and studied him silently for a moment. He never let go of Chanyeol though and he hoped it was because he’d just missed having him close that much. 

Maybe as far to think he would die if he ever let go again. 

Chanyeol wanted to throw up at his own thoughts.

“Rule with me,” Baekhyun finally spoke up. He waited a second for the serious face to crack and turn into a joking smile but it never came.

“That's impossible. They wouldn’t question a secret relationship with your guard but two kings...”

Baekhyun pulled him in for another kiss, until Chanyeol was basically putty in his hands and ready to accept anything he wanted. He could probably get used to this for the rest of his life. Maybe the palace wasn’t as cursed as he originally thought. Not if this was what he had to look forward to in life.

“We’ll make our own rules.”


End file.
